Time recorder system



June 11, 1940. T N '2',204,346

TIME RECORDER SYSTEM Filed Dec :s, 1936 Patented June 11, 1940 g7 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEY; v 1 f2,'204,34e. I

v p I 7 TIME RECORDER SYSTEM v George Eaton, Oak Park; 111., assignor to v I j v I Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company, v

Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois. Application December 3, 1936, Serial No. 113,980

(or. ne -u;

7 Claims.

Fig. 2.is a si'de view of one/of the stamping This application is a' continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 571,055, filed October 26, 1931.

My invention relates to means and methods wheels of my I time-recording device;

Fig. 3 is a preferred circuit arrangement of my system including my device; and

h for automatically timing. the use of electrical cir- Fig; 'i' sho'ws the j subscribers substation and cuits such as telephone systems and more parline circuit arra e t. I 'ticularly to an automatic time recording device The time recording device of my invention as v associatedwith a toll circuit or'a local circuit Shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing comp a for measuring and recording the duration of a p t n member 5 having legs 0 d 7 10 n or 1 1 c ll, However, theiinvention may tending'at right angles therefrom. A rotatable 10 be utilized with'various other electrical systems. Shaft 3 is uppo ed between s id'l es- 6 and V Heretofore it has been necessary for an operator and secured thereto is a ratchet wheel 9 which to compute the time of a call by me of a has associated with it a pawl'member Ill cone Calc'ulagraph which method required the noting n cted to t e armature ID of a steppi agnet s of the time of the commencement of the con- M- A pluralityof p g wheeiS'W, W" and 6 versation and repeated supervisions of the con- W2 Pr v d d With numbers 0 to 9 inclusive nection to determine as nearly as possible the placed a Suitable distances" along h l e-e time at which the conversation terminated and riphtry-v Y The Wheelv W is secured o t we, then calculating theelapsedvfin a I tatable shaft 8 and is adapted to rotate there- An Object of my invention is t provisio with under the influence of the ratchet wheel 20 in a toll or local circuit of the type used in in 9 and pawbme be The pp g ma et terconnecting telephone lines of an automatic SM operatesihtermittehtly .at' e i time recording device which isset in operation intervals under influence" of an impulse the moment one of the telephone subscribers is connected to the cord circuit and which ceases Each time the a t SMv p r t s the pawl 25 to operate assoon'as the subscriber replaces his Causes h atc et Wheel 9 to move ween/en and it in turn moves the Wheel W :one space Another object of m invention is the assor itslnormal ositiom The wheels ciation with a toll or local cord circuit of an and pawl Ill cooperate to hold the wheels in their automatic time recording device which is auto- Off-normal orioff-zero position. Ten ste s are 30 V matically operated by' the subscriber upon the e sary to move the Wheel W one revolutio termination of the conversation to record the which d es t e passing of one minute. duration of the connection. 7 Upon making the last movement necessary to A further object of my invention is to procomplete one revolution the wheel W causes the p vide an automatic time recording device which is wheel W to step one division and the wheel W automatically returned to normal and which up nm ki s n c mplete revolution causes normal position is checked each time the cord t e'wheel W 'tO Step one division in a manner circuit with which it is associated is used withwell known" to those skilled in th a e; The

. out requiring any additional operations or moveh fi andwz r su d p the y 4 ments by the operator. 7 1 I Shaft 8. I a

Another feature of my invention is the prohrs W e 1 G Q d and 15 9550+ vision in a telephone system of the type deelated fl 2 Wedge P scribed of one automatic time recording device, H and lvlfafssoclated i e hich is simple and-economical in construction S ampmg wh,ees m such .mrimner that t a. I

w wheels W W and W are each situated between 45 fo each 1711 cult; two of the wedge shaped members the surfaces Other features W111 become apparent upon a of whichform tapered gaps! further perusal of the specification and together shown in 2 the Wheels W, andpwz with the features po nted out will be explained are each provided t a piece of oft n vl2.

fully hereinafter, reference Lbe ng had to the ac,- Thi piece of i lg 1 so placed th v t g e p y drawing in which like reference 7 wheel that when the Wheel'is in'its normal or characters in the several views represent like zero position the iron l2 will .be within the narparts and in which r Y rowest portionof the tapered air gap formed Fig. 1 is a schematic representationeof the by the wedge shaped members It, H, H and 5 time recording device of my inventiomi; 113.. When the restoring .coilnRCl isen'ergizecl the wedge members ll, ll", H and H become activated and the soft iron 12 in each of the wheels is attracted by the members Ii, H, H and H and as the attraction of the wedge members for the iron mass I2 has a greater eifect at the point where the iron i2 is closest to the wedge members the iron mass l2 assumes its normal position in the narrowest portion of the air gap, where the attraction is greatest, to return the wheels to their normal or zero position. It is well known by those skilled in the art that electromagnetic attraction increases as the distance between the iron members decreases and consequently when the wedge shaped iron core members are activated the iron mass it is attracted thereto. The mass IE will be attracted more at its lower side because the wedge shaped members are closer to it at that place. This greater attraction at the lower side tends to move the iron mass l2 downwardly and this movement continues until the narrowest part or lowermost part of the wedge is reached at which point the magnetic attraction is equal on all parts of the mass l2 and it comes to rest with the wheel associated therewith in its zero posi tion. A release magnet RR operates simultaneously with the coil RC to disengage the pawl member H! from the ratchet wheel 9 to permit the wheels to rotate freely. A stamping magnet SR is also provided for the purpose of shifting the stamping wheels to cause them to contact with a card not shown in the drawing to stamp the number corresponding to the position to which the wheels have been moved.

In Fig. 3. the electrical circuit connections for the various electromagnets of the time recording device are shown associated with a toll cord circuit such as is commonly used for interconnecting two subscribers and comprising a plug P, a relay SL, a supervisory relay S, lamp L and guard lamp GL, a control relay CR, a slow-to-release relay DR, a key K and off-normal contacts ON.

The operation of the system is as follows:

The operator being apprised of a desired connection will insert the plug P into a jack J associated with a toll line or to a subscribers station A which will cause the operation of the sleeve relay SL over a circuit traced from battery through the winding of the relay SL, sleeve contact of the plug P and jack J, through the winding of cut-off relay CO to ground. The relay SL energizes and closes its alternate contacts l6, l1, l8 and Hi. The closure of contact l6 establishes an energizing circuit for the restoring coil RC and release magnet RR over a circuit which may be traced from battery through the respective windings of RC and RR in parallel, conductor in, alternate contact 16 of relay SL, conductor 2| to normal contact 22 of relay DR. The energization of the relays RC and RR causes the wheels W, W and W to be restored to their normal or zero position as above explained.

The closure of alternate contact I! of relay SL causes the illumination of lamp L by current flowing from battery through lamp L, alternate contact ll, normal contact 23 to ground.

The closing of alternate contacts 18 and I9 of relay SL conditions an energizing circuit for the supervisory relay S, subject to a closed circuit at the common battery subscribers station A. When the receiver R is removed from its switchhook at the common battery subscribers station A an energizing circuit for the supervisory relay through the lower winding of relay S, alternate contact I 9, plug P' and jack J, through the closed switchhook contacts at A, tip contacts of jack J and plug P, closed contact 18, and upper winding of S to battery, which relay energizes and attracts its armature 23 to interrupt the illuminating circuit of the lamp L and to close an energizing circuit for the guard lamp GL which circuit may be traced from battery through the lamp GL, normal contact 2 2 of connecting relay CR, conductor 25 to ground at alternate contact 23 of supervisory relay S.

The operator noting the lighted guard lamp GL will know that the common battery subscriber has been connected to the toll cord circuit and will operate the key K thereby establishing an energizing circuit for the connecting relay CR which circuit may be traced from battery through the relay CR, alternate contact of key K, normal contacts of the chi-normal contacts ON, conductcr 25 to ground at alternate contact 23 of supervisory relay S. The oif normal contacts ON are moved to their off-normal or open position by the first operation of the stepping magnet SM and remain in this position until the wheels W, W and W return to their zero indicating position at which time the contacts ON are again closed. The subsequent operation of the offnormal contacts ON opens the energizing circuit of relay CR but a substitute circuit is closed through its alternate contact 24 and the relay CR is held up over this circuit to ground at alternate contact 23. The attraction of contact 2 opens the illuminating circuit for the guard lamp GL which deenergizes. Alternate contact 26 establishes an energizing circuit for the slowto-release relay DR which circuit is obvious. The attraction of armature 22 of relay DR opens the energizing circuits of the coil RC and relay RR which accordingly are deenergized.

The closure of alternate contact 2"! of relay CR connects the stepping magnet SM to ground through the contacts of a one-tenth minute impulse clock over a circuit traced from battery through stepping magnet SM, alternate contact 27 of CR, and conductor 29, which is connected to contacts in the clock. Each time these contacts are closed the stepping magnet SM is operated thereby attracting its armature H) which causes the pawl member I!) to move the ratchet wheel 9 and the associated rotatable shaft 8 and the wheel W one division. The stepping magnet SM is thus intermittently operated until the termination of the conversation at which time the subscriber replaces his receiver upon its switchhook thereby interrupting the energizing circuit of the supervisory relay S which deenergizes and opens its alternate contact 23 which breaks the locking circuit of the connecting relay CR. The connecting relay CR deenergizes and restores its contacts 24, 28, 2'! and 28 to normal thereby disconnecting, at normal contact 2'1, the stepping magnet SM to prevent further actuation of the wheels W, W and W by the stepping magnet SM. The opening of contact 26 breaks the energizing circuit of the slow-to-release relay DR but due to its construction the relay DR. does not restore until after an energizing circuit for the stamping magnet SR has been closed. This circuit may be traced from battery through the winding of the stamping relay SR, normal contact 28 of relay CR, and alternate contact 22 of relay DR. The stamping magnet energizes and causes the stamping of the elapsed time upon a ticket which has previously been placed in position by the operator.

2,204,346 v V e operable-upon completing a conversational cir- The restoration of normal contact 22 of relay DR establishes energizing circuitsfor the restoring coil RC and releasing magnet RRlas previously described which operate to place the tim ing device in its normal or zero position which position is again checked when the circuit with which the timing device isassociated is again used.

particular embodiments, Idesirethat it be un-; derstood that modifications and alterations may be made and that, I intend no limitations upon my invention other" than those imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by United States Let-l cuit over connected lines, means for releasing cluding the winding of said magnet and said im- 7 pulse device, a relay for closing said circuit op-- said recording device and means for actuating said releasing means upon connection of said cord circuit to a subscribers'line.

2; In a telephone system, subscribers? lines, a

cord circuit for interconnecting said lines, a H

time recording device in said cord circuit, means for progressively actuating said recording device during the continuance of aconversational circuit over connected lines, means for releasing said recording device, means for actuating said releasing means incident to interruption of the talking circuit and .for again operating saidreing said recording device, an ,electromagnet for leasing means incident to joining said cord circuit toa subscriber's line.

3. In a telephone system, a plurality of subscribers lines, a cord circuit for interconnecting said lines, a time recording device in said. cord circuit, a stepping magnet for'operating said recording device, an impulse device, a circ'uitinerable upon completing a conversational circuit over two connected lines, a stamp magnet for said recording device, an electromagnetic! permitting the'restoration of said. devicetonormal, operating circuits for thewindings of said stamping magnet and said electromagn'et and means for closing said operating circuits incident'to interrupting the talking circuit at one ofsaid conrecording device, an impulse device, a circuit including the winding of 'said magnet and said impulse device, a relay for closing said circuit While I have'described my invention in certain,

cult over two connected lines, a stamp magnet for said recording device, an electromagnet for permitting the restoration of said device to normal, operating circuits for "the windings of said stampingmagnet and said electromagnet, means for closing said operating circuits incident to interrupting the talking circuit at one of said connected lines and means for again closing the circuit'iorsaid electromagnet upon the connec tion of said cord circuit to another subs'cribers line. c

5. In a telephone system, a plurality of subscribers lines, a cord circuit'for interconnecting said lines, a time recording device insaid cord circuit, a stepping magnet for operating said recordingdevice, an impulse device, a circuit ina I cluding the winding of said magnet and said impulse device, a relay for closingsaid circuit operable upon completing a conversational circuit over two connected lines, an electromagnet ior restoring said device to normal, an operating circuit for the winding of said electromagnetand means for closing said operating circuit incident to interrupting the talking circuit at one of said connected lines. 7

6. In a telephone system, a plurality of subscribers lines, a cord circuit for interconnecting said'lines, a time recording device in said cord circuit,'a' stepping magnet for operating said recording device, an impulse clock, a circuit including the Winding of said magnet and said clock, a relay for closing said circuit operable,

upon completing a conversational circuit over V two connected lines, an electromagnet for releascausing-therestoration of said'device to. normal, operating circuits for the windings of said electromagnets and means for closing said operat- 1 ing circuits incident to interrupting the talking circuit at one of said connected lines.

7. In a telephone system, a plurality of subsaid lines, a time recording device in said cord circuit, a stepping magnet for operating said recording device, an impulse device, a circuit in- 1 cluding the winding of' said magnet and said impulsefde'vice, a relay for closing said circuit operable upon completing a conversational .cir-

cuit over two connected lines, an'electromagnet ating circuits incident tointerrupting the talking scribers lines, a cord circuit for interconnecting circuit at one ofsaidconnected lines and means for again closing said operating circuits incident to connecting said cord-circuit to another subs'cribers line. V r GEORGE R. EATON, 

